OpEdNews » Senator Obama, Rhetoric is Not Enough!

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Tag(s): Change; Compassion; Corporations; Fear; Government; Obama-Barack; People; Presidency; Reality; Truth
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February 6, 2008 at 00:05:37

Senator Obama, Rhetoric is Not Enough!

by Timothy V. Gatto Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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I just listened to Senator Barack Obama talk to his “movement” in Illinois. He must be one of the greatest orators in the world, because he spoke for twenty minutes and had people screaming as he repeated over and over “Yes We Can!”, and in reality he never said a thing. He said “Ordinary people can do ordinary, extraordinary things” besides the bad phrasing, he never mentioned what exactly those things are, or how he was going to accomplish them. No substance, just rhetoric, and that’s a shame because most people that are supporting him don’t know the difference between rhetoric and substance. They have put all their trust in a man who spouts rhetoric and the end result will be disillusionment and despair unless he delivers, and he seems to have no plan to do that.

He told the crowd that he takes no money from “special interests” that he gets his money from the people that support him. That is not true. He mentioned that Hillary Clinton takes more money than any Republican. He didn’t mention that he does also. That shouldn’t happen. Candidates that don’t tell the truth when they are running for office don’t suddenly have an epiphany after they are elected and straighten up their act…no, they tend to lie more. Look at Bush; “The Compassionate Conservative”, do I need say more?

I’m calling him out on his lies because he asked those that haven’t committed to a candidate to join his “movement”. Look Barack, I was born at night, but I wasn’t born last night. I’ve just gone through almost eight years of being lied to over and over again. I knew it when he lied about Iraq and knowing I was being lied to didn’t help me to stop what he was doing. I know I’m being lied to by you Senator Obama, and calling you out on your lies probably won’t help either, but I’m not going to sit silently as I’m lied to again. You take money from all kinds of special interests. Your campaign ledger doesn’t look any different from Senator Clinton’s except she managed to get more money out of the corporations. You are not for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, under your plan we will still have soldiers in Iraq for years. You had better come clean with your supporters; they won’t be able to stand another President that twists the truth when it is convenient to do so.

This election has more young people and people that never participated in the political process lining up to vote. They want change in this country because they are afraid of what’s happening to it. If you continue to tell them things that are not true by any stretch of the imagination, and you are elected, you will shatter their trust in America. If you go back to business as usual in Washington, you will find yourself to be the most hated man on the planet. The American people are a wounded people and they are grasping at straws to get some logic and compassion back into the White House. They won’t settle for continued conflict in Iraq and corporate control of our government. Most of the people in this country don’t have the foggiest notion of what corporate control over our lawmaker’s means to them, but they are waking up fast. The truth is, between now and November, most people will be aware of what K-Street does to the average person. You may feel that flowery talk and passionate rhetoric will win the Presidency for you, but you had better think again. It isn’t enough to be the lesser of two evils anymore. People want real change and you haven’t told them anything about how you will change this nation.

Sooner or later they will want to know exactly how you will change this country of ours. They will want to know when they can stop living in government inspired fear of terrorists and nations conspiring against us. They will want to know how you will stop their jobs from going overseas. They will want to know how they will afford health insurance for their family. They will want to know how you will revive the economy and stop the urban blight. They will want to know how they can afford to pay their mortgage and buy food and still have money for gas to get to work. All these things demand answers and rhetoric won’t solve these problems. You might have bitten off more than you can chew. As for me joining your campaign, not a chance, you haven’t convinced me of anything except that you know how to work a crowd. That’s not enough.

That’s the way I see it.

http://liberalpro.blogspot.com

Tim was banned from the site for posting private email from the publisher to him on his blog, and then attacking the publisher and the site in emails and articles. OEN has no responsibility to publish articles from people who attack the site. Tim's accusations that he was banned for his political positions are untrue. Check his articles. He repetitively wrote about and had published exactly the things he claimed he was banned for doing.

Former Chairman of the Liberal Party of America, Tim is a retired Army Sergeant. He currently lives in South Carolina. A regular contributor to OpEdNews, he is the author of Kimchee Kronicles and is currently at work on a new novel.

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8 comments

Name is Rose Martinis, age 64, married. Atheist and retired dental tech. Hobbies: archeology, history, science, woodworking, wood carving and volunteering for non-profits.
uluroName is Rose Martinis, age 64, married. Atheist and retired dental tech. Hobbies: archeology, history, science, woodworking, wood carving and volunteering for non-profits.

I've often wondered

the same things you've stated in your excellent article. Mr. Obama hasn't articulated exactly how he would resolve any of the problems the country faces. I'd also be interested in if he will use all the illegal powers Bush grabbed; if he'll recind the tax cuts for the rich. Will he offer anything to those who've lost their homes to foreclosure, up to 2 million at last count? If it's true that he intends to partially privatize Social Security? Of course there are many more questions, but let him start somewhere, anywhere!

by uluro (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 68 comments) on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 7:55:59 AM

Retired university professor.
francineRetired university professor.

Hope, hope and more hope

True, Obama is less polarizing and jaded than Clinton, but the total emptiness of his speeches worries me.

All he does is cheerleading, reassuring Americans about themselves, boosting the collective ego. That's something he has in common with Reagan--the feel good factor. No specifics, a very vague agenda, just windy rhetoric, good looks, great barytone voice, loads of charisma. He is essentially a blank slate, an empty screen on which people can project anything they want. That might be a winning strategy but personnally, I'd like to know a bit more about his program before giving him my vote.

by francine (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 332 comments) on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 8:46:52 AM

Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic."
John Sanchez Jr.Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic."

In the February 4 edition...

of OpEdNews, you can find an article called "Hillary Clinton Refuses to Sign Pledge", in which describes a pledge that had been circulated to Democratic candidates soliciting their commitment to restore the Constitution.

It is observed in the second paragraph of that article that Obama has signed it, although, they seem to disapprove of the time he took to make the committment.

I tried to link it here, but as a demonstration of technological idiocy, I failed to do so. I urge you to see the article in any event.

by John Sanchez Jr. (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 1173 comments) on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 1:06:03 PM

Tim was banned from the site for posting private email from the publisher to him on his blog, and then attacking the publisher and the site in emails and articles. OEN has no responsibility to publish articles from people who attack the site.

Tim's accusations that he was banned for his political positions are untrue. Check his articles. He repetitively wrote about and had published exactly the things he claimed he was banned for doing.

Former Chairman of the Liberal ...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Timothy V. GattoTim was banned from the site for posting private email from the publisher to him on his blog, and then attacking the publisher and the site in emails and articles. OEN has no responsibility to publish articles from people who attack the site.

Tim's accusations that he was banned for his political positions are untrue. Check his articles. He repetitively wrote about and had published exactly the things he claimed he was banned for doing.

Former Chairman of the Liberal ...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Just Because He Signed it...

Doesn't mean he will abide by it. He lied to the people when he said he doesn't take money from "Special Interests". That's an out and out lie. Why should we believe anything he says?

by Timothy V. Gatto (348 articles, 177 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 574 comments) on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 1:16:07 PM

SW Texas ultra-liberal
john riggsSW Texas ultra-liberal

If Obama bin-Laden was good for America

the MSM would not give him any notice. The 3 elitest candidates are what you may vote for, you dont have to vote, you dont even need to vote, the establishment will take care of everything. I really believe Obama will be in the whitehouse in 2009, the anti-christ is the "man of sin" Hitlery fits the bill pretty well but not technically.

by john riggs (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 426 comments) on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 2:40:03 PM

...
Kate Franklin...

Do Some Research

I can't help but asking all the Obama naysayers out there, have you gone to Obama's website and read up on his detailed policy proposals there? Have you called Obama headquarters and engaged his staff on policy issues? There's enough detail there to qualify as wonk-porn, so why all the complaining? The main purpose that speeches and slogans serve is to motivate and inspire. If they do not perform this essential function then they are, by definition, ineffective. Let's not forget, giving speeches is one of the duties of the President. Imagine a day where huge numbers of people actually watch the State of the Union speech and tune in to White House press conferences. We've dismissed this as even being a possibility, because the American people have for so long descended into apathy about what most of consider a broken political system. A departure from the usual detachment that there is between voters and Washington, this is one of many fundamental changes Barack Obama offers.

by Kate Franklin (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 2:09:14 PM

Dear Kate

I just left his website. He says absolutely nothing about the MCA2006, Patriot Act,Insurrection Act, PD 51, or Senate Bill 1959. He does hoewever support funding Israel like its a US protectorate, and beefing up the military as wll as calling Iran a "Major Threat". Not too much different than Bush. This is change?

I don't think so.

by Timothy V. Gatto (348 articles, 177 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 574 comments) on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 3:11:52 PM

Dear Kate

I just left his website. He says absolutely nothing about the MCA2006, Patriot Act,Insurrection Act, PD 51, or Senate Bill 1959. He does however support funding Israel like its a US protectorate, and beefing up the military as wll as calling Iran a "Major Threat". Not too much different than Bush. This is change?

I don't think so. People that want their civil liberties back should support Sen. Gravel.

by Timothy V. Gatto (348 articles, 177 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 574 comments) on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 3:13:35 PM